


Lost & Found

by TracyLorde



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bellamy is a nerd, Clarke Griffin Has a Crush, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 09:06:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14209812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TracyLorde/pseuds/TracyLorde
Summary: Alex said: alright which one of us is gonna write the fic where bellamy goes off on a tangent to Clarke about someone not returning his book (probably Murphy) years ago and leaving him with an incomplete set, and then Clarke helps him get the book back (while high key falling in love with his nerdy self, or maybe she had been in love with him all along???)?...so I did :)





	Lost & Found

**Author's Note:**

  * For [asroarke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/asroarke/gifts).



> Definitely inspired by book borrowing fuckery in my own life.

“And another thing,” Bellamy said, setting his beer on the coffee table with a smack, “when you borrow a book, you fucking return it. It’s the rudest fucking thing not to. Imagine people thinking it’s ok to take your books in good faith and then just keep them. This is the world we live in, Clarke! It’s unreal!”

He sighed dramatically and ran a hand through his hair. Clarke watched him shake his head, smirking.

“I had no idea we were gonna get this deep tonight. You seem pretty worked up about this. Is this about a specific person, or…”

“It’s about a specific book, Clarke,” Bellamy replied, standing up and gesturing wildly to his bookshelf. “Do you see that, the gaping hole there?”

Clarke squinted and could barely make out a small space between two leather bound volumes. “That, there? Yeah, who borrowed it and where did you hide the body?”

Bellamy pursed his lips at her. “Very funny. It was Murphy, actually.”

“Really?” Clarke hopped off the couch and walked over to the bookshelf. “What did Murphy want with…volume 55 of the Encyclopedia Britannica’s Great Books collection?”

“I don’t know…he said he wanted to read William James, so I loaned it to him, and before I knew it he moved halfway across the country and I never saw it again.” Bellamy sunk back onto the couch and picked up his beer. “I swear, I’m going to implement a library check-out system.”

Clarke chuckled and took a seat next to him. “This really bothers you, huh?”

“It’s a an incomplete set, Clarke.”

“Have you tried replacing it?”

“Yeah, I can’t find that volume from the same edition anywhere. I’ve looked in every used bookstore in the tristate area. I even have an eBay alert set up, but no luck.”

“Damn.”

“I’ve considered buying the entire set again someday, so that I could replace the volume that’s missing, but the thought of leaving another collection missing a single volume is awful.” Bellamy shuddered.

“Well, have you asked Murphy about it?”

“Yeah, of course. The bastard denies he ever borrowed it.”

“Classic Murphy.”

Bellamy sighed in agreement. “Classic Murphy.”

Clarke shifted on the couch, worrying her lip as she considered Bellamy’s dilemma. As adorable he was when he got upset about things like this, she couldn't deny herself the problem solving instinct when it kicked in.

“Where did Murphy live, before he moved?” she asked.

“With Riley and Miller, in that old house over by the lake.”

“The one where Jasper and Monty live now?”

“Yeah, that’s the one,” Bellamy frowned. “Why?”

“I’d bet you anything that Murphy left it there when he moved out,” Clarke said, taking Bellamy’s hand and pulling him towards the door. “Come on, let’s find out.”

“You think…he left it behind when he moved?”

“Don’t look so horrified, Bellamy,” Clarke laughed, throwing him his scarf. “Sometimes people leave things behind when they move, even books. I know, I know, the world is populated with monsters. Let’s go.”

“I can’t drive,” Bellamy admitted sheepishly as they pulled on their coats. “I’ve had a few drinks.”

“No shit, so have I. We’ll walk, it’s not that cold.”

It wasn't that warm, either, and they were about two miles from their destination. Spring threatened to never arrive that year, and Clarke would have quickly regretted her decision to walk if she hadn't been enjoying Bellamy’s company so much.

They’d always been friends forever, but lately Clarke had been busy with work and her internship, and Bellamy had been busy with grad school and his girlfriend. Then, Clarke finished her program and Bellamy broke up with his girlfriend and suddenly they were thrown together a lot more.

Clarke had ended up at Bellamy’s place two nights in the past week alone, and she’d started to feel pretty comfortable there. Pretty comfortable with him. They texted back and forth all day long, had their own private jokes, and always sat together on movie night. They were basically dating, at this point, except that neither of them had put any such idea into words.

That night, Clarke had ended up over at Bellamy’s place alone for the first time after plans with the group fell through. She was currently trying to determine exactly what their relationship was. She’d thought they'd shared a few meaningful glances, but maybe she’d made it up. Maybe it was wishful thinking. Or maybe tonight she’d figure out exactly what was between them, if anything.

“Hey, so…” Clarke glanced up at Bellamy, carefully picking her way over the wet ground in the fading light. “Raven mentioned the other day that you and Gina broke up. I’m sorry…you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m ok,” Bellamy shoved his hands deeper into his coat pockets. “I like Gina, she’s great, but it turns out we don't really want the same things.”

Clarke nodded. “Yeah, good to figure that out sooner rather than later. Still, breakups are never fun. Sorry you’re going through it.”

“I’m…over it, honestly,” Bellamy said with a short laugh. “I know that sounds bad, but…I don't know, she's already much happier, and that’s nice to see, you know?” He glanced down at Clarke. “Plus, I’m pretty sure she has a thing for Raven.”

“I was gonna say, I think Raven has a thing for Gina, but I didn’t want to make it awkward,” Clarke admitted.

Bellamy chuckled. “No, really, it’s fine. I’m glad she’s moving on. I’m ready to move on too.”

Clarke was searching for the right response when she slipped on a wet patch of leaves and nearly fell on her face. Fortunately, Bellamy grabbed Clarke’s wrist in time.

“Careful there,” Bellamy teased, and seamlessly pulled her arm through the crook of his.

“Thanks,” Clarke murmured.

“Anytime,” Bellamy said, his gloved fingers wrapped around hers.

It would have been a great time for Clarke to segue into the topic of their relationship status, if she hadn't found herself suddenly tongue tied.

They reached the house a few minutes later, and Clarke led the way up to the door, hand still in Bellamy’s until the very last second.

Monty answered her knock. He was clearly surprised to see them.

“Hey, what are you guys doing here?”

“We’re looking for something Murphy may have left behind,” Clarke said.

“Cool, cool.” Monty’s eyes darted from Clarke’s face to Bellamy’s.

Bellamy glanced down at Clarke, then back at Monty, eyebrows raised. “Can we come in, Monty?”

“Oh, right! Yeah.” Monty opened the door fully. “C’mon in.”

Bellamy immediately made his way to the main area of the house, but Clarke lingered with Monty in the entryway as she unbutton her coat. She was pretty sure he was about to ask the awkward, obvious question, and she’d rather Bellamy didn't overhear them.

“Hey,” Monty whispered, “I’m a little high—“

“I know.”

“No, I just mean…are you and Bellamy a thing now? I can’t tell exactly what’s happening here.”

“Neither can I,” whispered Clarke fiercely, “So just be cool, ok?”

“I’m always cool,” Monty whispered back.

“Everything ok over there?” Bellamy called from the kitchen.

“Yep! Coming!” Monty said, then whispered to Clarke (much too loudly), “I have a bet that you and Bellamy are going to get together before summer, so if you can make that happen I can make it worth your while.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and Clarke snorted with laughter.  
“Ok, settle down weirdo. Come on.”

Jasper and Maya were in the living room, curled up under a blanket. Bellamy was leaning over the back of the couch, his curls falling into his eyes as he squinted at the television screen.

“Hey, mom’s here!” Jasper smiled widely up at Bellamy. “Dad, mom’s here. Did you two come together?”

“They’re looking for Murphy’s old stuff,” Monty filled in. “Is that all in the basement?”

“Mhmm,” Maya nodded, snuggling into Jasper’s shoulder. “We put it all down there when we moved you guys in, remember? It’s probably a wreck though…”

The basement was dark, damp, and a pretty definitive mess. Clarke started sorting through one pile, and Bellamy another. They came across plenty of old books, but not the right one. Many of them had water damage, but Clarke hoped against hope that they’d find Bellamy’s book intact.

“Hey, I think I’ve got a box of Murphy’s stuff here!” Clarke said after they’d looked looked for nearly twenty minutes.

The box had been hidden under a pile of old table linens, but it looked like it was in decent shape. Clarke dragged it onto a dry patch in the middle of the floor and knelt down next to it. Bellamy crouched down next to her and began to help her sort through it.

“Yeah, this is definitely Murphy’s stuff,” Bellamy said, pulling a rusty pocket knife out of a well worn Notre Dame t-shirt it had been wrapped in.

Clarke held her breath as they dug deeper. Finally, at the very bottom of the box, under a pair of frayed jeans, they saw it: a leather bound volume with gold lettering on the spine.

“You found it…you really found it…”

Clarke glanced up and saw Bellamy’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas. He carefully picked up the book, almost as if he couldn't believe it was real. She couldn't have held back her own grin if she’d wanted to.

“I can't believe you found it. Thanks, Clarke.”

He leaned over the box and threw his arms round her in a very awkward hug. Clarke hugged him back, burying her face in his collar.

“So,” Clarke murmured, “Tonight’s been fun. Any other missing items need to be tracked down?”

“No, but if I think of any you’re my first call.” Bellamy pulled back, still grinning widely. “This is the best day ever. You have no idea how much that’s been bothering me.”

“I mean, I have some idea. You went on a little bit of a rant earlier.”

“Please. Rant? I've heard you talk about lab safety, now that’s a rant.”

“That’s literally life and death, Bellamy.”

“So is book borrowing etiquette!”

“You’re a hopeless nerd,” Clarke stood up, chuckling. “Let’s get out of here.”

“We found it!” she called toward the living room when they’d reached the landing, then darted outside before anyone had a chance to ask questions, Bellamy right on her heels, the book stuffed into his coat.

“So, you’re coming back to my place, right?” Bellamy asked, glancing down at her. They’d just reached the end of the street, and Clarke would have to take a different way if she were going right home.

“Yeah, I can’t miss the re-shelving. Big moment for you.”

“Yeah. Big moment.”

They’d paused, facing each other, under a streetlight. Clarke stared up at him, still running through how she was going to say what she wanted to say.

“What’s on your mind?” Bellamy asked casually, as if they were grabbing a coffee, not standing outside in the freezing cold.

“I think we should date,” Clarke said bluntly.

Bellamy’s eyes widened with surprise, then a slow smile spread across his face. 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. We’re a good match. We get along very well. I’m single, you’re single. Not to mention I’ve recently proved myself very useful in a partnership capacity.”

“Pretty solid list of pros you’ve got there,” Bellamy chuckled. “Any cons?”

“I don’t know. I guess it might be hard to measure up to your books. You’re kind of obsessed with them.”

“Honestly, Clarke…I’m kind of obsessed with you.”

Bellamy had hardly finished his sentence before Clarke surged forward and kissed him. He reciprocated in an instant, wrapping an arm round her waist to pull her to him.

“Well…I think you’ve made your case,” he breathed.

“Good.” Clarke grinned up at him. “Come on, it’s freezing.”

They walked hand and hand back to his place.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr!](https://tracylorde.tumblr.com)


End file.
